Rack display package for dry cells and the like

ABSTRACT

Dry cells are placed on a substrate blank with their boss-like terminals lowermost and received in holes in the blank. A transparent thermoplastic film, applied over dry cells and substrate, is vacuum drawn into skin-like engagement with them. The substrate is folded to have a base panel overlying the upper ends of the cells, cover panels flatwise overlying the base panel, and flatwise contiguous adhered tabs projecting up from the cover panels and which have registering holes to receive a rack hook. One cover panel can have windows registering with the terminal holes in the base panel.

United States Patent [1 1 Walus et al. May 6, 1975 [541 RACK DISPLAYPACKAGE FOR DRY 3,424,306 1/1969 Munck 206/432 LL AND THE LIKE 3,490,5821/1970 Farquar 206/432 3,532,214 l0/l970 Helms 206/4533 [75] Inventors:Richard L. Walus; Peter S. 3,625,348 12/1971 Titchenalw 206/497Cartwright, both of Minneapolis, 3,695,508 10/1972 Hocking 206/806 Minn.3,747,750 7/1973 Chapman 206/4533 [73] Asslgnee: 53:8: Corporation,Mmneapohs, Primary Examiner william L Price Assistant Examiner-Allan N.Shoap [22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1973 211 App]. No.: 399,528 [571 ABSTRACTDry cells are placed on a substrate blank with their boss-like terminalslowermost and received in holes in [52] 206/497 'gg gi g g the blank. Atransparent thermoplastic film, applied 51 Int. Cl... 865d 65/12; 865d65/16; 865d 73/00 P cell and substfam' vacuum draw ""9 skin-likeengagement with them. The substrate 15 [58] Field of Search 206/497,471, 461, 462,

206 folded to have a base panel overlying the upper ends I489, 45.33,431, 432, 194, B16. 806, f th H I n l m b 229N316 l2 0 e ce s, cot/erpanes atwlse over ying e ase panel, and flatwise contiguous adhered tabspro ectmg up from the cover panels and which have registering [56]References cued holes to receive a rack hook. One cover panel can UNITEDSTATES PATENTS have windows registering with the terminal holes in2,514,858 7/1950 Gray 206/431 the base panel, 3,193,134 7/1965 Cote3,388,788 6/1968 Hellem 206145.33 5 Claims, 6 Drawing RACK DISPLAYPACKAGE FOR DRY CELLS AND THE LIKE This invention relates to thepackaging of cylindrical articles for point-of-sale rack display; andthe invention is more particularly concerned with a package for one ormore flashlight dry cells by which they can be supported on a hook, andwith the method of forming such a package.

It is a fundamental of retail merchandising that every square foot offloor area in a store must account for its share of the dollar salesvolume of the establishment. On that basis it is economicallyundesirable, in a selfservice store, to display small items such asflashlight dry cells on horizontal counter or shelf space. Horizontaldisplay space must be at about waist level for customer convenience andeffective display, and it cannot be blocked by a shelf or the likespaced too closely above it. Thus horizontal display space severelylimits the number of items that can be exposed for sale in a given floorarea.

On the basis of both retailing economics and buyer appeal, the preferreddisplay for small items is a rack comprising an upright wall orpartition having hooks or rods projecting forwardly from it, with anumber of like items hung on each hook. With that arrangement a largeassortment of items can be displayed effectively in a comparativelysmall floor area, the customer can readily take the item he wants, andinventory control is simple because the number of items on each hook canbe seen at a glance.

The cylindrical shape of the conventional flashlight cell does not lendit especially well to exposure on horizontal display space because ofits tendency to roll. But, obviously, a cylinder is even less adaptableto hanging on a hook. Nevertheless, flashlight cells are volume sellersthat are suitable for retailing in such widely varying types of outletsas drug stores, hardware stores and grocery stores, all of whichconsciously strive to obtain the maximum possible sales volume for everysquare foot of floor space.

From the foregoing considerations it is evident that a package whichwill enable dry cells to be displayed on a rack will have advantagesthat will be recognized immediately by the retailer, will thereforeredound to the advantage of the manufacturer, and will probably alsobenefit the consumer.

But a rack display package for dry cells must be something more than amere expedient for hanging dry cells on a hook. Because of intensecompetition, the profit margin on dry cells imposes a severe limitationon the cost of a rack display package. Nevertheless, it is imperativethat the package not look cheap.

The body of a dry cell has imprinted on it a substantial amount ofinformation that should be visible to the consumer, and this factimposes another stringent requirement upon dry cell rack packaging.lfthe package were to conceal any part of the cylindrical side surfaceof the cell, such concealment would perhaps be psychologicallyundesirable but, more important, would make necessary the imprinting ofthe concealed information on the package as well as on the dry cell,thereby increasing the cost of the package. But if the cells in thepackage are to be fully visible, it is also important that the packageconfine them in a predetermined orientation, so that each individualpackage will be neat in itself and so that several such packages on arack will not present a jumbled, disorderly appearance.

Other requirements for such a package are perhaps more obvious: it mustbe as compact as possible; it must be attractive in appearance; itshould not require unusual or expensive machinery for its formation; andit must be resistant to tearing in view of the fact that dry cells arerelatively heavy and may receive rough handling in reliance upon theirsturdy construction.

The general object of this invention is to provide a rack displaypackage for flashlight cells and similar cylindrical articles that fullymeets all of the above stated requirements, and a method of forming sucha package.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide aso-called skin package for dry cells wherein the cells are embraced by aclosely fitting film of transparent plastic material that leaves theirside surfaces fully visible, and wherein terminals at opposite ends ofthe cell are also visible.

A further specific object of this invention is to provide a method offorming packages of the character described that can be practiced withthe use of conventional skin packaging machines.

Another of the specific objects of this invention is to provide a skinpackage for rack display of dry cells and similar articles, whichpackage comprises a substrate to which there is securely attached a filmof transparent plastic material that snugly embraces the articles, andwherein the substrate need have only one decorated surface, its othersurface being substantially completely hidden, and wherein the substratehas a double thickness rack hook receiving portion that affords goodresistance to tearing around the rack hook receiving hole.

With these observations and objectives in mind, the manner in which theinvention achieves its purpose will be appreciated from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings, which exemplify theinvention, it being understood that changes may be made in the precisemethod of practicing the invention and in the specific article ofmanufacture disclosed herein without departing from the essentials ofthe invention set forth in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of anembodiment of the invention according to the best mode so far devisedfor the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a substrate blank that isprepared for receiving dry cells to be packaged in accordance with themethod of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the substrateblank with a pair of dry cells to be packaged in place thereon and readyfor application of a skin packaging film;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a substrate and dry cells with filmapplied and shrunk, the substrate being not yet folded;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the finished package of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the middle of a finishedpackage of this invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper end portion of one of the drycells.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thenumeral 5 designates each of a pair of cylindrical flashlight dry cellsthat are to be packaged by the method of this invention. It will beunderstood that the method and package of this invention are applicableto a variety of small cylindrical articles other than dry cells(fluorescent lamp starters, for example), but the packaging of dry cellsrepresents a commercially important application of the invention andnicely exemplifies its principles. It will also be understood that theinvention is applicable to packaging cylindrical articles individuallyand in groups of more than two; but, again, the packaging of dry cellsin pairs is of particular commercial importance and therefore serves asa good example for purposes of explanation.

As is conventional with cylindrical flashlight cells, a bottom end 6 ofeach cell is substantially flat and of bare metal to provide a negativeterminal, while the upper end has a concentric boss-like positiveterminal 7. ln this case each of the dry cells is of a type sold with astrip 8 of paper or similar frangible insulating material secureddiametrically across its upper end, to insulate the positive terminalagainst short circuiting and assure the buyer that the cell has not beenused.

In general the package of the present invention comprises, in additionto a dry cell or dry cells 5, a substrate component 9 of paperboard thatoverlies the tops of the cells and comprises apertured tabs 10 thatproject upwardly from the cells to receive a rack hook 11, and atransparent plastic film 12 that encloses the cells and is adhered tothe substrate component with a skin-like close fit. Further details ofthe package will be apparent from the following description of themethod of forming it.

The substrate 9 is initially in the form of a flat blank 13 of apaperboard stock that is either inherently porous or has numerouspinholes made in it to allow air to be drawn through it. The uppersurface of the blank can be finished and decorated in any desiredmanner; its lower surface can remain unfinished. Depending upon the skinpackaging machine to be used, the blank can be either a continuous stripwhich is ultimately slitted and cut into individual package elements orcan consist of individual sheets, each of which forms one package or iscut up to form a few packages. Inasmuch as such alternatives withrespect to the form of the substrate involve well known apparatus andtechniques in the skin packaging art, they need no furtherexemplification or description.

In preparation for package formation the substrate blank 13 has terminalholes 14 and window holes 15 punched in it. Fold-defining score lines16, 17, 18, 19 are also made in each area of the blank that is tocomprise the substrate component 9 of an individual package. The lines16-19 can be scored either prior to placement of the dry cells upon theblank (as shown) or at some later stage of the process, up to the timeat which folding on the score lines is to occur.

As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate blank 13 is in the form of acontinuous strip having a width equal to the combined widths of twopackages, intended to be slitted along a longitudinal centerline 20, andalso intended to be severed along uniformly spaced transverse cuttinglines 21. Thus the cutting lines 20 and 21 cooperate with the side edges22 of the strip to define a plurality of areas 9', each of which willconstitute the substrate component 9 of one finished package. Since thecutting lines 20 and 21 will thus define edges of each such substratecomponent 9, each area 9' can be said to be a rectangle with oppositeside edges 20 and 22 and opposite end edges 21.

The width of each substrate area 9' is substantially equal to thecombined diameters of the dry cells in a package (i.e., twice thediameter of a dry cell in the present case). In the illustrated case ofa two-cell package, the length of each substrate area 9' is somewhatgreater than its width, but a substrate for a package containing adifferent number of cells would have about the same length as the onehere shown.

The terminal holes 14 in each substrate area 9' have their centers on aline parallel to fold lines 16-19 and somewhat closer to one end than tothe other of the substrate area. The terminal holes are of such size,and are so spaced from the side edges 20 and 22, that they can receivethe terminals 7 of cells that are circumferentially contiguous anddisposed between said side edges.

There is a window hole 15 for each of terminal holes 14. Each windowhole has its center on a line through the center of its terminal holethat is parallel to the side edges 20, 22', and the center-to-centerdistance between each window hole and its terminal hole is substantiallyequal to the diameter of a dry cell.

The substrate blank, having the holes 14 and 15 therein, is run througha conventional skin packaging machine (not shown). At the loadingstation of the machine the dry cells to be packaged are placed on thesubstrate blank with their terminals 7 lowermost, each terminal beingreceived in one of the terminal holes 14, as illustrated in FIG. 2. 1nthe conventional manner of skin packaging, a film of molten transparentthermoplastic material, applied either as a sheet or as a curtain-likestream, is deposited over the dry cells and over substantially allportions of the substrate not covered by the cells. Note that the filmextends across the window holes 15 to form windows. By the conventionalapplication of suction to the underside of the substrate before the filmmaterial hardens, that material is drawn into skin-like intimateengagement with the dry cells and substrate.

After application and shrinking of the film, the substrate blank is cutup to define the individual package substrate components 9, as shown inin FIG. 3, and if the fold lines 16-19 have not previously scored, theyare scored at that time.

Attention is now directed to the relationships between the score lines16-19. The terminal holes 14 have their centers midway between foldlines 17 and 18, and those fold lines are spaced apart by a distancesubstantially equal to the diameter of a dry cell. Hence fold lines 17and 18 define between them a base panel 24 that overlies the tops of thedry cells and has substantially only corner portions projecting radiallybeyond them. Note that the finished surface of the base panel faces thedry cells.

The fold line 19 is at the opposite side of window holes 15 from thefold line 18, and is closely adjacent to those holes. The fold lines 18and 19 thus define between them a windowed cover panel 25. The windowedcover panel 25 is folded flatwise over the base panel 24, along the foldline 18. Since the fold line 18 is midway between the centers of holes14 and of holes 15, such folding establishes the window holes 15 inregister with the terminal holes 14, so that the terminals 7 of the drycells are readily visible through the windows. It will be observed thatthe windowed cover panel 25 overlies more than half of the base panel24.

The space between fold line 17 and its outwardly adjacent fold line 16defines another cover panel 26. The last mentioned cover panel issubstantially narrower than the windowed cover panel. It is foldedflatwise over the base panel, along fold line 17, to flatwise overliethe minor portion of the base panel that the windowed panel does notcover. When the cover panels 25 and 26 are thus folded into flatwiseoverlying relation to the base panel, the score lines 16 and 19 arecontiguous to one another. Note that the finished surfaces of the coverpanels face upwardly, away from the dry cells.

Between each of the score lines 16 and 19 and its adjacent end edge 21of the substrate there is a tab 27. The two tabs 27 are identical insize, and in the finished package they project upwardly from the coverpanels 25 and 26 in flatwise contiguous relation to one another.Preferably the tabs 27 are flatwise bonded to one another by means of asuitable adhesive, as designated by 28 in FIG. 5. As further indicatedin that figure, the two cover panels 25 and 26 can also be bonded totheir underlying base panel 24, although this is not consid erednecessary for satisfactory appearance. Registering holes 29 through thetwo tabs, receive a rack display hook 11. These holes may be punched ina single operation after the substrate is folded, or they may be punchedbefore the substrate is folded and while it is still flat. Note that thefinished surfaces of the tabs face outwardly.

It will be observed that the surface of the substrate that is lowermostduring the skin forming operation is substantially entirely hidden inthe finished package by reason of the manner of folding the substrate.

From the foregoing description, taken with the accompanying drawings, itwill be apparent that this invention provides an inexpensive but veryattractive package that permits rack display of dry cells and similarcylindrical articles and allows substantially all parts of the finishedarticle to be visible. It will also be apparent that the inventionprovides a simple and expeditious method of forming a package of thecharacter de scribed that can be readily practiced with the use of aconventional skin packaging machine.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention can beembodied in forms other than as herein disclosed for purposes ofillustration.

The invention is defined by the following claims:

1. A package containing a group of identical cylindrical articles ofmerchandise, each having an upper and a lower end, said articles beingvisible in substantial part in said package and being confined by thepackage in circumferentially adjacent relationship with their upper endscoplanar, said package further comprising:

A. a substantially rectangular substrate having inner and outersurfaces, a pair of opposite side edges spaced apart by a distance suchthat the substrate can extend entirely across the entire group ofarticles at one end thereof, and opposite end edges, said substratehaving fold lines extending transversely to said side edges and alongwhich the substrate is folded to have 1. a base panel that overlies thearticles at one end thereof and which base panel lies between a pair ofadjacent ones of said fold lines, the outer surface of said base panelbeing adjacent to the articles,

2. a pair of cover panels, each flatwise overlying a portion of thesurface of the base panel that is remote from the articles and extendinginwardly to the other from one of said pair of fold lines to have aninner edge defined by another fold line, each of said cover panelshaving its outer surface facing away from the articles, and

3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, each projecting away from thearticles from the inner edge of one of the cover panels and defined fromits cover panel by said other fold line, said tabs being flatwiseadhered to one another, having their outer surfaces remote from oneanother, and having registering holes in which a display rack hook isreceivable; and

B. a skin-like transparent film snugly embracing the group of articlesand flatwise secured to substantial portions of the outer surface of thesubstrate to thus hold the articles assembled with one another and thesubstrate.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein each of said articles comprises acylindrical dry cell having at its upper end a concentric boss-liketerminal, further characterized by:

1. said base panel of the substrate having a plurality of terminalholes, one for each dry cell, and having one of said terminals receivedin each terminal hole; and

2. one of said cover panels extending a substantially greater distanceacross the base panel than the other, and said one cover panel having aplurality of window holes, one for each terminal hole, each window holebeing in register with its terminal hole to allow the terminals to beseen.

3. The package of claim 2, further characterized by:

said film extending entirely across the outer surface of said one coverpanel, including the window holes therein, to cooperate with the windowholes in defining windows.

4. A package for rack display of a cylindrical article of merchandisehaving upper and lower ends and by which the article is confined in anaxially vertical orientation, said package further comprising:

A. a substrate component having inner and outer surfaces, a pair ofopposite side edges, opposite end edges, and four spaced apart,parallel, transverse fold lines along which the substrate is folded tohave I. a base panel that extends between two of said fold lines andcompletely overlies the upper end of the article, with its outer surfacefacing downward,

2. a pair of cover panels that flatwise overlie the base panel withtheir outer surfaces facing upward, each of said cover panels extendinginwardly across the base panel from one of said two fold lines andhaving an inner edge which is defined by one of the other two fold linesand which is contiguous to the inner edge of the other cover panel, and

3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, each having its outer surfaceremote from the other and each projecting upwardly from the inner edgeof a cover panel and connected therewith around one of said other twofold lines, said tabs being flatwise adhered to one another and havingregistering holes in which a rack hook is receivable; and

B. a skin-like transparent film snugly embracing substantial portions ofthe article including the bottom end thereof, and flatwise overlying andsecured to substantial portions of the outer surface of the substratecomponent around the article. 5. A package suitable for point-of-salerack display containing a group of cylindrical dry cells incircumferentially adjacent relationship, each of said dry cells being ofthe type having a concentric boss-like terminal at an upper end thereof,said package further compris- A. a substantially rectangular substratehaving inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edges spacedapart by a distance such that the substrate can extend entirely acrossthe group of dry cells, and opposite end edges, said substrate alsohaving fold lines extending transversely to said side edges and definingl a base panel that overlies the tops of the dry cells and has holes inwhich the terminals of the dry cells are received, the inner surface ofsaid base panel facing downward,

2. a windowed cover panel integrally connected to the base panel aroundone of said fold lines and flatwise overlying a major portion of thebase panel, said windowed cover panel having its outer surface uppermostand having holes that register with said holes in the base panel,

3. a smaller cover panel integrally connected to the base panel aroundanother of said fold lines and flatwise overlying the remainder of thebase panel, the outer surface of said smaller cover panel beinguppermost, and

4. a pair of tabs, each integrally connected with one of the coverpanels around another fold line and each projecting upwardly from itsconnected cover panel, said tabs being bonded together with their innersurfaces opposing one another and having registering holes in which asupporting hook can be received; and

B. a skin-like transparent film snugly enclosing the dry cells andflatwise overlying outer surface portions of the substrate around thedry cells to hold the dry cells assembled with one another and thesubstrate, said film extending across said holes in the windowed coverpanel to provide windows through which the terminals of the dry cellsare visible.

1. A package containing a group of identical cylindrical articles ofmerchandise, each having an upper and a lower end, said articles beingvisible in substantial part in said package and being confined by thepackage in circumferentially adjacent relationship with their upper endscoplanar, said package further comprising: A. a substantiallyrectangular substrate having inner and outer surfaces, a pair ofopposite side edges spaced apart by a distance such that the substratecan extend entirely across the entire group of articles at one endthereof, and opposite end edges, said substrate having fold linesextending transversely to said side edges and along which the substrateis folded to have
 1. a base panel that overlies the articles at one endthereof and which base panel lies between a pair of adjacent ones ofsaid fold lines, the outer surface of said base panel being adjacent tothe artlcies,
 2. a pair of cover panels, each flatwise overlying aportion of the surface of the base panel that is remote from thearticles and extending inwardly to the other from one of said pair offold lines to have an inner edge defined by another fold line, each ofsaid cover panels having its outer surface facing away from thearticles, and
 3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, each projectingaway from the articles from the inner edge of one of the cover panelsand defined from its cover panel by said other fold line, said tabsbeing flatwise adhered to one another, having their outer surfacesremote from one another, and having registering holes in which a displayrack hook is receivable; and B. a skin-like transparent film snuglyembracing the group of articles and flatwise secured to substantialportions of the outer surface of the substrate to thus hold the articlesassembled with one another and the substrate.
 2. a pair of cover panels,each flatwise overlying a portion of the surface of the base panel thatis remote from the articles and extending inwardly to the other from oneof said pair of fold lines to have an inner edge defined by another foldline, each of said cover panels having its outer surface facing awayfrom the articles, and
 2. a pair of cover panels that flatwise overliethe base panel with their outer surfaces facing upward, each of saidcover panels extending inwardly across the base panel from one of saidtwo fold lines and having an inner edge which is defined by one of theother two fold lines and which is contiguous to the inner edge of theother cover panel, and
 2. The package of claim 1 wherein each of saidarticles comprises a cylindrical dry cell having at its upper end aconcentric boss-like terminal, further characterized by:
 2. one of saidcover panels extending a substantially greater distance across the basepanel than the other, and said one cover panel having a plurality ofwindow holes, one for each terminal hole, each window hole Being inregister with its terminal hole to allow the terminals to be seen.
 2. awindowed cover panel integrally connected to the base panel around oneof said fold lines and flatwise overlying a major portion of the basepanel, said windowed cover panel having its outer surface uppermost andhaving holes that register with said holes in the base panel,
 3. asmaller cover panel integrally connected to the base panel aroundanother of said fold lines and flatwise overlying the remainder of thebase panel, the outer surface of said smaller cover panel beinguppermost, and
 3. The package of claim 2, further characterized by: saidfilm extending entirely across the outer surface of said one coverpanel, including the window holes therein, to cooperate with the windowholes in defining windows.
 3. a pair of flatwise contiguous tabs, eachhaving its outer surface remote from the other and each projectingupwardly from the inner edge of a cover panel and connected therewitharound one of said other two fold lines, said tabs being flatwiseadhered to one another and having registering holes in which a rack hookis receivable; and B. a skin-like transparent film snugly embracingsubstantial portions of the article including the bottom end thereof,and flatwise overlying and secured to substantial portions of the outersurface of the substrate component around the article.
 3. a pair offlatwise contiguous tabs, each projecting away from the articles fromthe inner edge of one of the cover panels and defined from its coverpanel by said other fold line, said tabs being flatwise adhered to oneanother, having their outer surfaces remote from one another, and havingregistering holes in which a display rack hook is receivable; and B. askin-like transparent film snugly embracing the group of articles andflatwise secured to substantial portions of the outer surface of thesubstrate to thus hold the articles assembled with one another and thesubstrate.
 4. a pair of tabs, each integrally connected with one of thecover panels around another fold line and each projecting upwardly fromits connected cover panel, said tabs being bonded together with theirinner surfaces opposing one another and having registering holes inwhich a supporting hook can be received; and B. a skin-like transparentfilm snugly enclosing the dry cells and flatwise overlying outer surfaceportions of the substrate around the dry cells to hold the dry cellsassembled with one another and the substrate, said film extending acrosssaid holes in the windowed cover panel to provide windows through whichthe terminals of the dry cells are visible.
 4. A package for rackdisplay of a cylindrical article of merchandise having upper and lowerends and by which the article is confined in an axially verticalorientation, said package further comprising: A. a substrate componenthaving inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edges, oppositeend edges, and four spaced apart, parallel, transverse fold lines alongwhich the substrate is folded to have
 5. A package suitable forpoint-of-sale rack display containing a group of cylindrical dry cellsin circumferentially adjacent relationship, each of said dry cells beingof the type having a concentric boss-like terminal at an upper endthereof, said package further comprising: A. a substantially rectangularsubstrate having inner and outer surfaces, a pair of opposite side edgesspaced apart by a distance such that the substrate can extend entirelyacross the group of dry cells, and opposite end edges, said substratealso having fold lines extending transversely to said side edges anddefining